More than 400 inmates serving state prison sentences pass their time in county jails each day.

Those inmates have little programming and little to do except mingle with an ever-changing cast of pre-trial detainees of all security levels.

The jails profit nicely from the arrangement – the state pays them $51.50 per day per inmate – to house the state's overflow.

County jail time is "abysmal," according to Daniel Monge, who spent nine months of his state prison sentence in jail.

"County jail time is tough - it's really tough," he said.

“If push comes to shove and you have to do one or the other, my vote actually is to build a new prison because serving time in a county jail is no joke," he said. "It’s extremely rough, it’s extremely awful, it’s borderline inhumane.”

Monge was a panelist at the recent "Inmate 501" presentation by State Rep. Evan Goyke at Turner Hall. Below is a video of Monge; former inmate James Cross; and Goyke talking about state jail time. (There is more video from the event, sponsored by Milwaukee Turners and the Confronting Mass Incarceration work group, posted on the WJI Facebook page.)

A list of participating jails follows the video.

​Contracted facilities, including jails, holding state inmates serving state sentences.

Department of Corrections: Inmates Under Control Feb. 2, 2018

This is the final installment in WJI's "Our crowded Wisconsin prisons" series that details the building repairs, upgrades, and new facilities the Department of Corrections requested as part of the 2017-19 state budget. Here is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, and Part 7.

The great majority of the budget requests, including those for health facility improvements and adequate food preparation areas, were denied. Instead, Walker and the Legislature established a committee to study prison facility needs.

The Legislature and governor did approve spending $7 million to build a geriatric prison facility. The authorization came as an amendment to Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget, and it is not clear how many inmates the facility will serve or whether it will meet the Department of Corrections' needs.

There were no requests submitted by the DOC for the facilities included in this last round-up. They are included to show how crowded facilities are and to serve as a reminder that action is needed to reduce the prison population, not just increase prison capacity.

The state's prison study committee – the one to which Assembly Speaker Robin Vos refused to appoint Democrats – held its first meeting, according to the Kewaunee County Comet.

The committee already has approved "a request for proposal (RFP) for a 'committee consultant' to be responsible for conducting an analysis of all correctional institutions and centers and providing the Committee with recommendations to resolve facility needs statewide," the Comet reported.

"A key part of the RFP is a requirement for a review of a proposal by Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay, to decommission the Green Bay Correctional Institution and builld a new state prison in Northeast Wisconsin, possibly in Kewaunee County," the Comet said.

While state officials ponder whether to sell the 100-year-old facility, the Legislature and Gov. Walker, as part of the 2017-19 budget, approved $18.5 million in new spending for cell hall improvements, raising to $22.2 million the total earmarked for the project.

Rejected was a $10.8 million request from the Department of Corrections for constructoinof a new health / psychological services unit.

This is part 5 in our series on Wisconsin prisons, how crowded they are, and what the Department of Corrections said is needed to improve, repair, and maintain them.

As always, this primer does not really address the consequences of the crowding and physical shortcomings of the institutions – the impacts on inmates and staff. But we sure hope you will keep them in mind as you consider the price of mass incarceration.

From the request: This project would provide new electrical/lighting, electronics, heating and ventilation systems in both the North and South Cells; and plumbing in the South Cell. The project work would replace the current electrical system with needed circuits and convert to GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter), and upgrade lighting to energy efficient and security rated light fixtures, as the existing electrical systems were designed to 1950s standards and do not meet current building standards. Most of the electrical troughs that run throughout the cell halls, are heavily rusted. These troughs serve as the electrical system ground and if rusted through, wires will become exposed. The project would replace outlets, electrical panels and troughs to accommodate the 592 cells. The tier lighting, attic lighting and all common area lighting will need to be replaced/upgraded in both cell halls.

This project would enhance the security of the cell halls by adding an electronic intercom system. This system would significantly improve communication and safety of inmates by providing a way to contact staff during medical or other emergencies. This project would also install cabling/wiring for TV, door, alarms and controls. South Cell Hall plumbing will be replaced with this project. This will include the replacement of the existing approximate four gallon per flush porcelain toilets and sinks with more efficient stainless steel single unit lavatories.

Most of the electrical troughs that run throughout the cell halls, are heavily rusted. These troughs serve as the electrical system ground and if rusted through, wires will become exposed.

​​

Source: Department of Corrections Offenders Under Control on Dec. 22, 2017

The heating/ventilation system uses four outdated heaters in each cell hall and needs to be replaced. If any of the heaters fail, there is no redundancy to provide backup heat. The existing heaters pull in a minimum of 50% outside air in the winter. The exhaust fans on the roof pull out the difference. The steam heat system is well over 60 years old and should be replaced to provide reliability for these critical housing units. ...

The supply lines and sewage pipes are very old and develop leaks on a continual basis so this project will include replacement of the drains, waste and vent piping and potable water lines. It will also provide penal style water control systems to reduce/eliminate exposure to raw sewage, and reduce daily maintenance.

The goal of this project is to provide GBCI with the resources necessary to provide ambulatory health care services for all inmates at GBCI, utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach (physical and mental health wellness) in an environment that is safe for caregivers and inmates. GBCI has a high percentage of inmates with psychotropic needs. The existing HSU was built in the early 1960s. The layout doesn’t meet the guideline of a maximum security health services unit building. ...

​The existing HSU was built in the early 1960s. The layout doesn’t meet the guideline of a maximum security health services unit building.

The HSU does not have a waiting area or a central location for storage of inmate medical records; medication storage is not adequate. The HSU presents security and space concerns. The layout of current HSU doesn’t meet the guideline of a maximum security HSU Building. GBCI is faced with an aging inmate population with increased medical needs. The inmate population at GBCI has a high proportion of psychotropic medications needs inmates. There are a significant number of inmates that require the use of wheelchairs or other assistive devise for mobility.

Continued use of the current Health Service Unit will be unable to meet the health care needs of 1,091 inmates given the aging and types of infirmities of the population. ... Insufficient space and inefficient layout of the HSU contribute to a wide variety of concerns relating to safety, effectiveness and efficiency of staff, security of the institution and inmate health care. For example, the dental hygienist must work in a separate room from the dental staff due to existing layout constraints. This means an additional correctional officer must also staff that area. ​

Inmates at Columbia Correctional Institution sleep on the floor because there are not enough beds, according to a Department of Corrections budget request.

Others are released from prison directly from a solitary confinement unit where they "are single celled, have no movement, eat in cell, recreate alone or segregated, and have very limited property."

The released inmates "not only haven’t functioned in society in some time, but they haven’t functioned in general population of the institution in some time, if ever," DOC said in its request for $25,354,000.

The State Legislature and Gov. Scott Walker said no and established a study committee to discuss the state's prison needs.

What could go wrong?

This is part 4 in our series on Wisconsin prisons, how crowded they are, and what the Department of Corrections said is needed to improve, repair, and maintain them.

And here is a link to a video of State Rep. Evan Goyke's presentation, titled "Inmate 501: Converging Problems in Wisconsin's Prison System," on the choices for Wisconsin's prison future. As he says in his accompanying publication, "Inmate 501 will be the first Wisconsin inmate sent out of state because of overcrowding in nearly 20 years. Recent prison population growth is set to exceed all available options in state. We face challenging decisions. Do we send people out of state? Do we build a new prison? Do we reform?"

​Goyke votes for reform. So do we.

This primer does not really address the consequences of the crowding and physical shortcomings of the institutions – the impacts on inmates and staff. But we sure hope you will keep them in mind as you consider the price of mass incarceration.

From the request: This project would construct a new 100-cell Transitional Housing Unit next to the current housing Unit 9 building for inmates with special program needs, including inmates needing to integrate back into general population after long periods in segregation. ...

The Transitional Housing Unit will be ADA compliant and able to accommodate inmates with special physical needs, such as being confined to a wheelchair. It would be preferable that at least 50% of the cells are on ground level, and would not require the use of a lift. At a minimum, in order for CCI to be ADA compliant, 16% of the cells must be built on ground level.

The Transitional Housing Unit will have single and double cells (approximately 20% of the total cells will be double cells). It will also have programming space for group and individual programming, a dayroom for eating meals and for recreation, a food servery for preparing meal trays, an officer’s control bubble, an officer’s workstation in the dayroom, storage space for supplies/equipment, storage space to house medications, a unit laundry for inmate clothing, and office space for staff such as clinicians, social workers, and housing unit management staff.

Expansion to the RH2 building will include program/treatment areas, staff offices, no-contact visiting space, and storage. In addition, the recreation pens will be covered to allow for outdoor recreation in all seasons.

The RH2 currently does not have any programming space, or adequate treatment space. Inmates are evaluated by health services staff and psychological services staff in the dayroom providing for no means of confidentiality. There is inadequate storage space requiring supplies to be stored in the open of the dayroom. There is no office space for staff in RH2, and staff currently uses limited office space in other buildings in the institution.

Source: DOC Offenders Under Control on Dec. 1, 2017

The new Transitional Housing Unit will be built to allow for flexibility in programming to meet the needs of the dynamic inmate population at CCI. This includes inmates needing to integrate back into general population after long stays in restrictive housing (greater than 120 days), inmates prone to self-harm, and inmates that struggle to function in general population. This might include inmates with temporary physical limitations (possibly after surgery), inmates with serious mental health issues, or inmates with gender identity disorders.

This type of flexibility in a housing unit is a critical need at CCI for the following reasons:

Transitional Step Down – Currently, CCI has a Restrictive Housing Unit 1 (RH1) and a Restrictive Housing Unit 2 (RH2). Inmates typically transition from RH1 to RH2 before going back to general population. Inmates in RH1 are single celled, have no movement, eat in cell, recreate alone or segregated, and have very limited property. Inmates in RH2 are typically double or triple celled (with the third inmate sleeping on the floor with a mattress), have very limited movement with escort, eat in cell, recreate alone or segregated, and have additional property, but still far less than general population.

The new Transitional Housing Unit will be an additional step between RH2 and general population that will allow the inmate to still be in a restrictive status, yet live as they would in general population. Inmates will have an opportunity to have a roommate, eat in the dayroom with others, recreate in the dayroom with others, order all available canteen, have more property, and possibly have more movement. It will allow the inmate to reintegrate into the general population lifestyle, while allowing staff to monitor the inmate in a more controlled environment than general population.

Inmates are evaluated by health services staff and psychological services staff in the dayroom providing for no means of confidentiality. ​

Restrictive Housing Release – There are currently inmates that, due to mandatory release dates, are releasing back into society from RH1. These inmates not only haven’t functioned in society in some time, but they haven’t functioned in general population of the institution in some time, if ever. With the new unit, these inmates will be moved to the transitional unit several months before release so they can begin to reintegrate and function outside of the restrictions in restrictive housing. This will allow inmates a better opportunity to receive needed programming before release, and a better chance at re-entry. ​

Observation – Currently inmates having thoughts of, or exhibiting acts, of self-harm are placed in a controlled or observation status in RH1. They are given no property or very limited property. Some of these placements are a result of legitimate self-harm situations, and some are inmates manipulating the system.

Inmates who are genuinely struggling in general population are placed in control or observation on a restrictive housing unit, although they are not in a disciplinary status. The environment in RH1 can be very loud and disruptive and not conducive to overcoming thoughts or behaviors of self-harm. A wing on this new transitional unit would be dedicated for observing inmates needing a controlled environment away from general population, and out of a restrictive unit.

​Inmates who are manipulating the system may feign thoughts of self-harm to avoid situations in general population, such as conflicts with other inmates, or conduct reports/sanctions. Still others feign thoughts of self-harm because they are aware of CCI’s bed constraints, and know a fellow inmate may be released from RH1 if observation beds are full. Inmates suspected of feigning thoughts of self-harm to get fellow inmates out of RH1 would no longer have that motivation, as the number of observation beds available would not be dependent on the number of segregation beds filled. ...

The environment in RH1 can be very loud and disruptive and not conducive to overcoming thoughts or behaviors of self-harm.

Institution Bed Management - Since the expectation is that some inmates currently living in general population housing units and RH2 will move into the new transitional unit, more bed space will become available in the existing housing units. This will allow for better bed management of the other general population and restrictive housing units at CCI.

Inmates are often forced to sleep on the floor because bunk space is not available due to the “do not double” (DND) requirements of other inmates. This is most prevalent in RH2. Bed space is also limited because of the sheer number of inmates needing certain programming, and therefore needing placement on a particular unit. As of July 18, 2016, 15 inmates were without a bunk and sleeping on the floor. All of those inmates were in RH2. With the new transitional unit, it would be expected that CCI would have sufficient bed space and no inmates would need to sleep on the floor.

CCI also often makes decisions to release inmates from RH1 to RH2, and from RH2 to general population, based on the lack of bed space in the restrictive housing units. Having the new transitional unit step down unit will provide the additional restrictive housing unit beds needed to allow staff to make decisions for restrictive housing placement based on the inmate’s needs and institution security, not based on bed availability.​

​​Restrictive Housing Unit 2 does not offer any space for inmates to obtain programming or treatment on the unit. Providing programming to these inmates while in RH2 will allow for shorter stays in RH2 and a better transition to the new transitional step down unit. It will also improve conditions of confinement for inmates in restrictive status housing.

From the request: This project would install high efficiency boilers in various buildings at Oakhill Correctional Institution (OCI), designed to replace the existing central boiler steam system and underground steam piping, underground condensate piping, steam traps, and condensate tanks. ... A fourth boiler was added in 2006 and is primarily used is for low pressure summer loads. Upon completion of this project, the fourth boiler will be transferred to another DOC facility that is in need of a summer boiler.

​This is part 3 of our look at state prisons, how crowded they are, and what the Department of Corrections said during budget preparation it needed to fix and maintain them. Part 1 is here; part 2 is here.

We will say this in every post because it is worth repeating: This primer does not really address the consequences of the crowding and physical shortcomings of the institutions – the impacts on inmates and staff. But we sure hope you will keep them in mind as you consider the price of mass incarceration.

From the request:This project would construct a new 36,000 GSF modern style dorm housing unit, with some internal division for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) beds, beds for our aging population, and beds for general population inmates for a total of no less than 180 beds. Sufficient room needs to be included for the AODA programing to occur, for community service activities to continue, and for a servery and dayroom area to accommodate the dorm population.

Consideration should be given to the importance of separating the AODA program participants remaining from the other activities of the unit. DOC received a Block Grant of $150,000 which requires separation of the AODA participants from general population. Inmates participating in the AODA program typically do not have institution jobs, with their main focus on their programming needs.

Source: DOC Offenders Under Control on Nov. 17, 2017

AODA – Currently located in Adams Hall, which is the second oldest building at Taycheedah. Adams Hall is a 3-story brick building with general population on the 1st and 3rd floors, and a combination of general population and AODA participants on the second floor, for a total of about 170 inmates. Until recently, the second floor of Adams Hall occupied only the AODA participants. With the increase in female inmate population, the other two floors of Adams Hall have been opened with as many as 10 inmates to a room. Adams Hall was not originally constructed with indoor plumbing, rather it was retrofitted with plumbing in the cells in the 1970’s. Unfortunately, the plumbing leaks on a regular basis into areas on the first floor. Although doing their best, staff is not able to keep up with the repairs and maintenance concerns of this building. The thick walls and steam heat with no air exchange system make summers in Adams Hall often too hot to hold productive AODA groups. In the winter the hot water radiators with no controls make it equally difficult to regulate the temperature. Adams Hall also has a lack of cameras making it non-compliant with Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) guidelines. ​

The third floor of Harris Hall has deteriorated to the point it is no longer safe to occupy and the cost to renovate would be excessive. Adams Hall is also plagued with failing plumbing, failing concrete decorations on the exterior, lack of ventilation, and poor utilization of space.

Community Service and the Aging population – Currently Harris Hall is where inmates who are aging aspire to be housed. There are a limited number of beds available in this, Taycheedah’s oldest building, so a good conduct history is required to be assigned to Harris Hall. Because many of these same inmates also have an interest and skill in sewing and knitting, Community Service is currently run out of Harris Hall. The Community Service group is responsible for many of the quilts, blankets and other craft items donated back to the community via local nonprofit groups. Because of their age, health issues, and/or dependency on medical appliances, the new facility should be designed to meet current ADA standards. The design should include the ability to accommodate 20 or more inmates with physical limitations.

General Population Inmate - The current dorm is well received by the inmates housed there. The open style and social dynamic is easy to supervise and a good fit for the female offender population.

Servery – The servery must be able to accommodate both tray line service and delivery of modified medical diet prepared in Food Service and delivered to the unit. Refrigeration, proper hot storage, under the counter dish washer, hand washing, and plenty of storage will be required. The current dining facility at Prescott was designed to feed about 400 inmates; unfortunately our current population is over 800.

Unfortunately, the plumbing leaks on a regular basis into areas on the first floor. Although doing their best, staff is not able to keep up with the repairs and maintenance concerns of this building.

The female population is 200 inmates higher today than it was when the John C. Burke Correctional Center was converted to a male facility in December of 2011. The Wisconsin Women’s Correctional System has experienced a steady increase in population since December 2011; December of 2011 the population was 1,148; December of 2012 was 1,222; December 2013 was 1,230; December 2014 was 1,343; December 2015 was 1403; August 2016 (current) population is 1,360.

Both Adams Hall and Harris Hall were opened in the early 1900s. Neither building is considered accessible by today’s ADA standards. Each building has many HVAC, plumbing and exterior masonry issues. The third floor of Harris Hall has deteriorated to the point it is no longer safe to occupy and the cost to renovate would be excessive. Adams Hall is also plagued with failing plumbing, failing concrete decorations on the exterior, lack of ventilation, and poor utilization of space. Adams Hall is located on the northeast side of the institution grounds, away from the rest of the housing and many institutional services.

Construction of a new dorm will allow the DOC to replace two aging and expensive to maintain buildings. A new building will also allow for better supervision by security and better access for those with physical impairments to other institution facilities.

Adams did house a minimal amount of inmates at one time, but now it is full and the 1st and 3rd floors are staffed 24/7 with unallocated positions. ​​

From the request: This project would construct improvements that include: cell front doors, operators and locking mechanisms, ADA improvements, plumbing improvements, electrical upgrades, telephone upgrades, heating and ventilating improvements, security camera monitoring and recording improvements, and a fire suppression and smoke control system. ADA improvements for the building will be contained to those required for inmates including cells, showers and toilet facilities. Three inmate housing cells would be converted into two accessible cells, which would provide 2% of all cells required for compliance. ...

The existing fire protection system consists of a 2.5-inch fire main extending throughout the building to several Fire Hose cabinets. No fire suppression sprinkler system is currently in the building. ... The intent is to fully sprinkle, with detention sprinkler heads, the cells and inmate areas. The fire department connection will be extended outside the prison wall for easy access to the fire department. ...

Three inmate housing cells would be converted into two accessible cells, which would provide 2% of all cells required for (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance.

The facility has a 20-ton water chiller with remote air-cooled condenser to provide tempered air to the basement. The two compressors for this unit are no longer working and the chiller is no longer in operation. ...

Additional cameras and equipment will be added as requested by the facility. Some existing cameras will be replaced with new as directed by the facility. The surveillance system will be connected to the Central Control via existing fiber backbone cabling. The Central Control existing system matrix will need to be reprogrammed for the additional cameras.

All 1960s vintage panels will be replaced with new equipment. The panel at the officer’s station cage is currently used to turn the ceiling and wall lighting on and off daily by switching circuit breakers. Breakers are not designed to be used as switches on a regular basis so new switches are required.

Source: DOC Offenders Under Control on Nov. 17, 2017

This building contains 59 single occupancy cells. It houses inmates with a wide range of issues including: Psychological disorders combined with behavioral instability and other needs in a "therapeutic community” environment. These inmates have an inability to function adequately within the general population. The original building was built in 1956 as a segregation unit. There was an addition to the building put on in 1982. There have not been any major upgrades to this building since it was built, nor to the addition. This is the only housing unit at WCI which has not had any of these improvements to date. A study was completed in 2011.

​Capital budget request 2: $4,090,000Status: Rejected

From the request: The DOC requests enumeration of $4,090,000 GFSB for the completion of water system upgrades for the Central Generating Plant located at Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI). ...

This project would complete the water system upgrades for the Central Generating Plant, which provides water service to the Central Generating Plant, Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), Dodge Correctional Institution (DCI) and Burke Correctional Center in Waupun. The project would provide for the planning, design, and construction of:

• Study for site selection of the new treatment system and well location. • New Well No. 6 and Pump House. This well would ideally be located at the northwest portion of the DCI grounds at least 1,500 feet from Well No. 5. It would be finished in the lower sandstone aquifer and be approximately 650 feet deep.• New water treatment facility. Construct a new treatment system, ideally located near Well No. 6. • Abandonment of Well No. 5. This includes removal of the pump, installation of tremie pipe, placement of pea gravel and grout. • Construct backwash system at the new treatment facility located at new Well No. 6. It is assumed the conveyance piping would be a gravity sewer discharging to the Waupun sanitary sewer system north of the DCI grounds, near Beaver Dam and Lincoln Streets. Rock excavation would be required as part of this installation. Pipe size is expected to be 36-inches.• New remote pump house for Well No. 3 and No. 4. Connect Well No. 3 and No. 4 to the water treatment facility. Rock excavation will be required for this installation. ...

Well No. 5 and the second storage tank were constructed in 2013 to meet current and future water system demands. Both are located on the west side of the DCI grounds. Well No. 5 is an 800 foot deep sandstone aquifer well cased and grouted to a depth of 200 feet. Test pumping indicates the well will be able to provide a capacity of at least 800 gpm. This well has not yet been placed in service due to water quality issues. There is no pumping station facility to deliver water to the distribution system. ...

Section NR 809 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code sets forth regulations and standards for combined levels of radium 226 (Ra-226) and radium 228 (Ra-228) in drinking water. ... Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element found in some waters obtained from the deep sandstone aquifer which underlies much of the southern half of Wisconsin. Samples from Well No. 3 and 4 indicate radium levels in these wells are considerably below the standard. Well No. 5, however, has not been put into service due to high radium levels in the samples.

After rehabilitation water samples from Well No. 5 still indicate water quality concerns causing Well No. 5 to remain out of operation. The City of Waupun has recently agreed to provide the CGP with water in the event of an emergency at the site. ​

In 2015, Well No. 3, 4 and 5 were rehabilitated by chemical treatment and mechanical agitation. Portions of these wells were also partially permanently abandoned. The purpose of this work was to attempt to improve water quality by reducing concentrations of combined radium, iron, and manganese. An additional purpose was to improve water quality by reducing and controlling microbiological activity and biofilms in these wells. Iron levels in Well Nos. 3 and 5 also remain high.

Mechanical and chemical rehabilitation of Well No. 3 was completed in April of 2015. ... The bottom 100 feet of the well was permanently abandoned. Water samples taken for Well No. 3 show improved water quality levels. ...

Rehabilitation of Well No. 5 was completed in February of 2015. This rehab consisted of mechanical agitation and chemical treatment similar to what was done for Wells 3 and 4. The bottom 320 feet of this well was also permanently abandoned. After rehabilitation water samples from Well No. 5 still indicate water quality concerns causing Well No. 5 to remain out of operation. The City of Waupun has recently agreed to provide the CGP with water in the event of an emergency at the site. ​​

From the request: This project would provide for the planning, design, and construction of two new housing units with 200 beds each to replace six original housing units each containing 65 beds built in 1962 and expanded in the 1970’s. This will be the first of three sequential projects to replace all of the original and temporary general population housing units at Kettle Moraine Correlational (sic) Institution (KMCI). ...

The construction of KMCI began in 1960 and the facility was opened in 1962 as a Boys School with a rated capacity of 287. Over the years, the Kettle Moraine Boys School has gradually transformed into the KMCI to reflect the growth and change in DOC and now houses over 1,000 inmates. The 12 original cottages are over 50 years old and were originally constructed to house 25 youthful offenders. Ten of the units were expanded in the 1970s to increase the occupancy to 35 adult inmates. There was another increase to the number of inmates housed in them. Additional changes to the housing units and cottages have increased capacity to 50 inmates in the cottages and 65 inmates in housing units. Age, overcrowding and the conversion from juvenile to adult inmates has taken its toll on the facilities. KMCI continues to face significant repair and maintenance issues.

Maintenance on the existing buildings has been deferred to the point that significant and costly repairs are needed to continue operations. The original construction of these units does not meet current building codes. The air handling and ventilation systems are out of date and in need of serious cleaning and service. The construction of the air handling system has made it virtually impossible for this to happen without having dramatic reconstruction by expansion of the service area which is located in the attic of each unit.

All of the doors and locks are obsolete and parts and supplies are next to impossible to find. Door replacement required custom construction because they are non-standard size. The windows in the units are not detention grade and are not energy efficient. This leads to frequent breakage and a problem maintaining inmate cell room temperatures.

The hot water supply is also fed from the same central housing unit and the same problems of distribution occur. The units at the end of the complex frequently get cold water. ... some of the key issues, such as staffing efficiency and occupant safety, remain unresolved.

The hydronic heating system is controlled in one central housing unit which supplies three satellite units. This type of system is very costly to maintain and should problems occur it affects 260 inmates well-being. The hot water supply is also fed from the same central housing unit and the same problems of distribution occur. The units at the end of the complex frequently get cold water. This set up is also costly and leads to inmate climate issues related to hot water. Electrical components are now obsolete and in need of replacement. There has been some asbestos containing materials (ACM) abated over the years but the floors have a significant amount of ACM. The tiles are giving way and a large abatement project is in need to deal with floor replacement should the units not be replaced.

Estimates for renovation of existing buildings have been done, but some of the key issues, such as staffing efficiency and occupant safety, remain unresolved. The life cycle of the current structures is coming to an end as the cost of maintaining them is becoming prohibitive. ​​

How long can the Department of Corrections ignore the increasing numbers of prison inmates with some sort of disability?

At least another two years, according to the state budget.

DOC asked for $42.6 million to build a facility for those inmates. The State Legislature and the governor authorized $0. It will study the issue instead.

This is part 2 of our look at state prisons, how crowded they are, and what the Department of Corrections said during budget preparation it needed to fix and maintain them. Part 1 is here.

This primer does not really address the consequences of the crowding and physical shortcomings of the institutions – the impacts on inmates and staff. But we sure hope you will keep them in mind as you consider the price of mass incarceration.

From the request: This project would build a new facility to help the DOC address the growing number of inmates – regardless of age – that require living or program accommodations, increased access to medical resources due to a lack of mobility, diminishing cognitive ability, poor physical health, or other impairments that prevent an inmate from being fully independent. Additionally, specialized services are becoming necessary for some inmates due to complications associated with aging such as severe mobility issues, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and other medical conditions. ...

In the DOC system inmates requiring assisted living are currently housed throughout the entire Division of Adult Institutions (DAI) system of institutions. Several institutions such as the Dodge Correctional Institution infirmary or Oshkosh Correctional Institution have a relatively high concentration of these inmates.

Total inmate population within DAI has remained relatively constant over the past 10 years, while the number of inmates over the age of 45 has been steadily increasing. The number of inmates 45 years of age or older was 3,421 in July 2003 and 5,906 in July 2012. This is a 73% increase over a 10 year period or an average annual increase of over 6%.

As of March 2013, inmates 40 years or older with sentences of 20 or more years to release was 1,374. This older population will likely be spending their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in a DOC institution. ...

The number of inmates 45 years of age or older was 3,421 in July 2003 and 5,906 in July 2012. This is a 73% increase over a 10 year period or an average annual increase of over 6%.

​In March 2008, a DAI Site ADA Accessibility Survey indicated there were 286 inmates requiring the use of a wheelchair. Of the 286 wheelchair users, 166 were permanent users and 32 were in oversized wheelchairs. These inmates will require ADA cells, showers, bathrooms, access to electrical outlets to run medical appliances, etc.

Other inmates are not necessarily wheelchair bound but have other disease such as cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. As these inmates progress in their disease, they typically need an increased level of medical attention or other accommodations. For example, an inmate with short-term memory loss can still be held in a GP cell, but may need constant reminders to take their on-person medication, have a hard time remembering which cell is theirs, requires a lower bunk and may need a bathroom located nearby. These inmates often develop other comorbidities such as hypertension, liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, and/or significant cardiovascular conditions.

Source: DOC

Without an assisted living facility the number of inmates requiring HSU and infirmary care will continue to increase. HSUs and infirmary units do not have the staff, space or equipment to deal with these patients on a regular basis. HSUs and infirmaries will need to be expanded to include:• Access to “24/7” on-site medical resources.• Medication distribution and monitoring needs.• Access to on-site specialized therapies such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and recreational therapy.• Specialized transport services by DOC that accommodate disability or medical needs.• Effective access to local, off-site emergency responders and ambulance services.

In addition to these improvements, housing improvements will also need to include the following:• Activities for daily living.• Access to cells meeting the minimum ADA width door frames and turning radius for wheelchairs.• Access to toilets/showers/bathing (currently for prisons ADA requires 5% or one accessible stall, whichever is greater. For long term care facilities, ADA requires at least 50% of accessible toilets).• Single bed cells versus bunk beds.• Bed rails.• Electrical outlets and shelving to accommodate required medical equipment.​

The state's prison populations are rising, and there are plenty of bills pending in the State Legislature that would increase inmate counts even more.

The state will spend more than $2.5 billion on the Department of Corrections this biennium, and that price tag does not show any signs of declining.

The problem is, the state is running out of places to house its inmates. The prisons are already significantly overcrowded and some of them need millions of dollars of maintenance and repair work.

The Department of Corrections submitted numerous capital budget requests to help deal with crowding and maintenance issues, but most were rejected. Instead, Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature established a study committee to talk about it.

WJI is launching this primer to help people understand the issues confronting the committee. We will look at individual facilities, how crowded they are, and what DOC said during budget preparation it needed to fix and maintain them.

The crowding and physical shortcomings of the institutions has enormous impacts on inmates and staff that are not addressed in budget requests. We sure hope you will keep those impacts in mind as you consider the price of mass incarceration.

From the request: This project ... would provide an area to meet the educational, programming, religious practice, and recreational needs of 336 general population inmates. The need for inmate programing and activities could be better met with appropriate space and much more efficiently delivered. Any existing space that could be remodeled and repurposed has already been allocated.

WSPF

Source: DOC Offenders Under Control on Nov. 17, 2017

​The current facility was constructed in 1999 to house restricted status inmates. ... Since that time, three and a half of the housing units have been converted to house 336 general population inmates. Only one of the housing units has day room space for activities. This space is being used for dining, education, programming, library and religious needs of the inmates. ... The existing indoor recreation space is very limited. There is no existing space for hobby or community service programs which are currently conducted in cell only.​

From the request: This project would construct a new filter/treatment building located near the existing well (or wells) with high levels of iron and manganese at Fox Lake Correctional Institution (FLCI). Additionally, this project would provide for cleaning and sampling at selected building locations to determine the design parameters for the new filter/treatment building. ...

In November 2013, FLCI received a Notice of Violation due to lead and copper levels in the drinking water. After approximately two years of working to correct the lead and copper levels to meet current WDNR standards, the lead and copper levels at FLCI are now well below action levels.

Fox Lake Correctional Institution

Source: DOC Offenders Under Control on Nov. 17, 2017

The DNR stated this violation was issued due to the number of resident and staff complaints about the water received by the DNR at various points in the past.​

In October 2016, the DNR issued a Notice of Violation to FLCI for exceedance of the secondary drinking water standard for iron and manganese. Secondary drinking water standards are “aesthetic” and relate to taste, odor, color, etc. The DNR stated this violation was issued due to the number of resident and staff complaints about the water received by the DNR at various points in the past.​The DOC, DOA, and DNR staff are currently working together to develop a Consent Order that will lay out the corrective steps to be taken at FLCI to reduce iron and manganese in the water. A study has been initiated to determine how to best minimize these aesthetic complaints and the iron and manganese levels in the water at FLCI

From the request:This project would construct a new housing unit with 200 beds (120 units) to replace one original housing unit containing 96 rooms and 198 beds built in 1962. ...

​Maintenance on the existing buildings has been deferred to the point that significant costly repairs are needed to continue in operation. The original ventilation construction relied on transoms and door undercuts with the corridors functioning as air plenums. This design is not allowed with current building codes due to the risk of fire spread, and air supply and return ducts would be needed for each cell.

All of the door locks are obsolete with parts no longer available domestically. ... Efforts to make currently available locks fit the existing doors have been unsuccessful.

​This design is not allowed with current building codes due to the risk of fire spread, and air supply and return ducts would be needed for each cell.

Windows in the old buildings are not detention grade, and shards from broken windows have been used as weapons. Roofing for all housing buildings needs to be replaced. There is no perimeter drain tile for the buildings, and basements regularly fill with water. Electrical components are now obsolete and in need of replacement. Asbestos containing materials (ACM) have been abated as needed over time, but there is still a significant presence of ACM in the buildings.

The layout of the older buildings has been problematic and each building requires two sergeants, where the newer buildings in the DOC system with this security level contain more beds and can be staffed with a single sergeant. Building layouts are not fully compliant with federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) guidelines.

From the request:This project would construct a new central utility building and install a new utility system. ... A central steam boiler plant located on the Northern Wisconsin Center campus (currently owned by DHS Department of Health Services) provides steam for CVCTF, and buildings owned by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Military Affairs. ...

Chippewa Valley Correctional Treatment Center

Source: DOC Offenders Under Control on Nov. 17, 2017

The chilled water used for cooling is generated by a 400 ton centrifugal chiller and an associated evaporative cooling tower located at the CVCTF. The chiller is in poor shape, utilizes a CFC refrigerant, and needs to be replaced. (

The Northern Wisconsin Center (NWC) has exceeded its useful life for the Department of Health Services and the future of this facility is unknown. Currently, CVCTF purchases about 25% of the steam currently produced by the NWC central power plant. If something happened to the NWC central power plant, DOC would be partially responsible the repairs to the facility. With an uncertain future of the power plant, this project will provide planning, design and replacement of the heat and hot water service from NWC with an onsite system.